Episodes
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At one point in the 70's everyone was wearing clogs and in the 80's, we were handing out Best Picture awards to movies like, Driving Miss Daisy and calling it a sign of progress. So it's a good idea to check in with your once loved cultural artifacts to make sure you aren't still listening to Jesus Jones or defending Dan Brown books . In that vein, Tom and Azed discuss two movies they both used to really like and now feel a bit less enthusiastic about. Oddly, and completely randomly, both of us chose movies by Kubrick: Lolita (1962) and The Shining (1980). We discuss the difficulty in translating good books to film, the limits of interpretation, and Kubrick's pattern of focusing on what has been called "the banality of evil". Tom also gives us an update on some of his favourite screenings at this years TIFF.
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As the world continues to spiral down into increasing idiocy, cruelty and destructiveness, Azed and Tom are both using cinema to cope. In this episode, we discuss some more recent releases including: Richard Linklater's Hit Man, Alex Garland's Civil War and George Miller's Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. Despite increasing corpulence and hair loss, we are not the new Siskel & Ebert,. We employ no thumbs up, thumbs down metric based on nothing more than personal taste, rather we focus on how cinema continues to embody the concerns and anxieties of our current time, both consciously and unconsciously. These recent releases are concerned with how tribal populism insists that citizens define themselves within very narrow and easily recognizable identities. Indeed, Hit Man seems very aware of the concept of self-creation as a political act. Cinema may be a coping mechanism and an escape from the harsh realities of everyday life, but as we discuss in this episode, it can also serve to elucidate and clarify our current fears, anxieties and ideological blindspots. We also pay tribute to a great Canadian actor, Donald Sutherland, who passed away last month.
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Missing episodes?
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After a short hiatus, Azed & Tom return for this very special epsiode dedicated to the often overlooked character actor. Although a somewhat vague label the character actor is usually understood to be a film or television performer who specializes in portraying unique, offbeat, colorful characters in supporting roles. While leading actors receive most, if not all, of the accolades for a film or series' success, it is often the character actors who steal the show and add texture and depth to otherwise pretty standard material.
In this episode, we list off some of our favourite character actors and some key performances that have become iconic. A few of the actors we discuss here; Jennifer Coolidge, Harry Dean Stanton, Madeline Khan, Andre Braugher, Jason Robards, Terri Garr and more.
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The Academy Awards are a reliable exercise in celebrating some of the worst tendencies in modern, capitalist society. A bunch of privileged, back slapping industry folks handing out trophies to each other is perhaps the height of egotistical "cringe", but still we watch them. Often, with the same passion as one might watch, say a "Real Housewives" or a "Big Brother", essentially, a hate watch. Azed and Tom weigh in on this year's Oscars which, surprisingly, was not as awful as expected. The movies up for best picture were all coherent and highlighted the power of good cinema to reach a wide audience. The show itself, usually an over the top mixture of boredom and extreme embarrassment, actually had some heartfelt and understated moments. No Will Smith assaults either!
Best Picture noms: OPPENHEIMER: Christopher Nolan, AMERICAN FICTION:Cord Jefferson, ANATOMY OF A FALL:Justine Triet, BARBIE: Greta Gerwig, THE HOLDOVERS: Alexander Payne, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON: Martin Scorsese, MAESTRO: Bradley Cooper, POOR THINGS: Yorgos Lanthimos, THE ZONE OF INTEREST: Jonathan Glazer -
In this episode, Azed & Tom delve into the captivating world of acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese and the resounding critical acclaim surrounding his latest masterpiece, "Killers of the Flower Moon." In this episode, we explore the widespread praise and recognition that this film has garnered, exploring its profound impact on both critics and audiences.
"Killers of the Flower Moon" has captivated viewers and critics alike, provoking widespread acclaim for its compelling storytelling, breathtaking cinematography, and outstanding performances. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and the wonderful Lily Gladstone, the film transports audiences to the 1920s, immersing them in the chilling true story of the Osage Nation murders.
Critics have lauded Scorsese's impeccable direction, praising his ability to create an immersive and unsettling atmosphere. The film's evocative cinematography, helmed by acclaimed cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, captures the era's social and cultural context with stunning precision, enhancing the narrative's tense and mysterious elements.
Azed & Tom also take a deep dive into Scorsese's illustrious career, discussing his unique style, thematic preoccupations, and his knack for creating mesmerizing cinematic experiences.With a career spanning over five decades, Martin Scorsese has cemented himself as one of the most influential and celebrated directors in the history of cinema. Known for his visceral storytelling and impeccable attention to detail, Scorsese has crafted an impressive portfolio of timeless classics, including "Taxi Driver," "Goodfellas," and "Raging Bull".
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It's has been said that the 70's were the last golden age of cinema. it's hard to disagree when you realize how many auteurist directors that era birthed. A modest list would have to include; Scorsese, DePalma, Bogdanovich, Coppola, Lynch and William Friedkin. Friedkin's career is an enigma. His third film The French Connection won multiple Oscars (Including Best director), catapulted him to fame. Friedkin's next film, The Exorcist remains one of the most frightening horror films ever made and one of the most financially successful movies of all time. At the top of his game and at the height of his power as a director, Friedkin released Sorcerer, which was a massive failure at the box office and with critics. Although he made quite a few excellent movies after, it seems he never fully recovered from the consequences of "flying to close to the sun". Friedkin passed away August 7, 2023. In this episode, Azed and Tom discuss the odd career of William Friedkin and dive deep into his masterpiece; The Exorcist, a film that marked us both to become grown ass men who are shit scared of a little girl.
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In a series we are calling Criminally Forgotten, we pluck out discarded, overlooked or misunderstood gems from the past. In this episode, we unearth a relic from the archives, Bill Gunn's 1973 art/horror/vampire movie Ganja & Hess . Gunn, a literate, smart, cultured person who came from the Theatre and the literary arts was tasked with replicating the immense success of the iconic African-American vampire film, Blacula (1972). What he produced instead was a complete departure from the tropes of the vampire genre, creating a meditative, artistic, dream like movie that utilizes what some critics have called, "Haptic visualization". The writer Donato Totaro describes Haptic cinema as;
"... unlike Western ocularcentrism, which values sight as the greatest epistemological sense, intercultural cinema embraces the proximal senses (smell, taste, touch) as a means for embodying knowledge and cultivating memory” (Donato Totaro, Canadian Journal of Film Studies)
Ganja & Hess has been cited as an important film in the African-American canon, as it dispels stereotypes of Blaxploitation and African-American culture promoting an art house, experimental style more notable in Foreign cinema at the time. Join Azed and Tom as they discuss this unique horror film...just in time for Halloween!!
"If Shaft is Barry White and Melvin Van Peebles’s Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song is the Sex Pistols, then Ganja & Hess is John Cage". Jaime N. Christley, Slant Magazine
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The recent internet phenomenon of creating a portmanteau out of two blockbusters, Barbie (Greta Gerwig) and Oppenheimer (Christopher Nolan), marks a first in cinema history. This is probably the first time the usual cage-match between competing films was usurped by a non-competitive organic marketing scheme. Social media, usually a cesspool of kindergarten style competitiveness, actually created an event that celebrated seeing both films. it wasn't Barbie folks against Oppenheimer folks, but a call to action to see both films, one right after the other. Marketing execs are scratching their heads trying to figure out how to replicate such a random movement that boosted both movies' box office performances. Although the two films couldn't be more different in terms of tone, genre and style, nonetheless, there are fascinating similarities between Barbie and Oppenheimer, thematically they are oddly tied together. Azed & Tom discuss both movies, and argue that the third film that belongs in this group is Wes Anderson's Asteroid City, which shares a lot with both films. Join us for this fascinating conversation about the way cultural anxieties are reflected in films regardless of genre.
NOTE: Everything goes really well until Azed tries to include Book Club: The Next Chapter in the club. Azed loves any movies about saucy old ladies trying to get laid. Don't ask.
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increasingly, the court of public opinion through social media has the power to make or break a film. and the ubiquitous exposure of artists' personal foibles now serves as a legitimate form of film criticism. "Bad" people, so the argument goes, are not deserving of our attention, regardless of the quality of the work. Some questions that arise in this discussion are:
-is it fair or right to equate the artist with the art?
-Does the art stand on its own, despite the biography of the artist?
-Can a film that has ideologically questionable aspects, still be a worthwhile work of art?
-Is the censoring of artists, because of their personal flaws, a form of social control, limiting what we can see, enjoy or find meaningful, or is it a necessary corrective to toxic masculinity, racism and cis conformity that has been allowed to run rampant for many decades?
Azed & Tom, discuss these questions and more, while focusing in on two specific films, Louis C.K. unreleased I Love You, Daddy and Andrew Dominik's much maligned, Blonde. In Louis C.K.'s case his movie was cancelled following the news that- without consent-he exposed himself to numerous women. Dominik's Blonde, a surreal meditation on Marilyn Monroe, was perhaps the most derided film from 2022, citing it's apparent misogyny, social media mobs ripped the film to shreds.
Listen in and join the conversation or don't and just cancel us based on Azed's continued defense of The Dukes of Hazzard and their Confederate flag topped car named The General Lee. Just leave Tom Wopat alone!!
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For our second episode of Out There in the Dark, Azed & Tom take a look at the films honoured by this year’s Academy Awards. Yeah, we know it’s months after they aired but hey, this is largely a vanity project for Azed and Tom, so shut it!
As much as we find the Oscar’s an increasingly cringe-inducing affair, we figure if you’re going to do a movie podcast, you can’t avoid talking about them at some point. Everyone seems to have a love / hate relationship with the Oscars, and Azed & Tom are no exception. From an industry perspective, they have an incalculable effect on box office, peer recognition and they can make or break careers; from a cineaste’s perspective, they invite endless debate and controversy around the films that win, lose or are completely neglected.
Listen in and take a deep dive into why these films were honoured this year; if they deserved their awards or not; and what made them connect with audiences: the level of excess in Everything Everywhere All At Once, the pointed narcissism of the titular character of Tar, the empty pleasures of Top Gun: Maverick, the polarizing profundity of Triangle of Sadness, problematic representation in The Whale and the beauty and intelligence behind The Banshees of Inishirin - think on all of these as well as many other films and ideas. The Oscars are and always will be a cracked mirror, giving us a skewed, shattered reflection of cinema both as an industry and as an art form.
Note: Tom slapped Azed during the recording of this episode, in honour of last year’s best Oscar moment.
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Welcome to the inaugural episode of Out There in the Dark. In this episode, Azed & Tom discuss Sight & Sound's decennial poll of the Greatest Films of All Time and the seemingly out of nowhere elevation of a little known, 1970's experimental French feminist film to the number one spot. Chantal Akerman's Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, was released in 1975 to quiet acclaim within the halls of critical film discourse. A comfortable in-crowd of elite cineastes wrote, discussed and championed the 3+ hour film as a major artistic breakthrough in feminist cinema. But whereas previous S&S top spot films, The Bicycle Thief, Citizen Kane and Vertigo are all accessible narratives, Akerman's film is not. A 3+ hour film where there is very little dialogue, the camera is mostly still and the "story" unfolds through a highly structured look at the domestic chores of a largely inscrutable protagonist isn't necessarily going to appeal to the Marvel crowd. While the synopsis of Jeanne Dielman may make it sound like a chore, it really isn't. Akerman's masterpiece holds the viewer in a state of hypnotic suspense. it is almost impossible to make a film that captures the audience's attention to this degree, it is a miracle when it is achieved by a 24 year old female artist.
As Jessica Winter wrote in the New Yorker, "The Sight and Sound tabulations are a striking turn of events, representing a consensus that one of the pinnacle films ever produced in an overwhelmingly male-dominated art form was made by a young woman, with a crew mostly made up of women, starring a middle-aged woman, about women’s work."
